January's Big Financial Freeze!!!

Sholly

kerri_dfw wrote: »

Sholly, I just use a hand blender for our smoothies. Today we had fresh banana, a splash of apple juice and an assortment of frozen fruit (todays was cranberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry all frozen and bought on the YS cheap )

Thanks Kerri, I have a handblender so will try this when the fruit bowl is restocked - wasn't sure what made it all....erm...liquidy!

Sholly x

lionheartedgirl

evening.. well I still haven't caught up from yesterday, but have just read about beckyboo's news and I am sorry to hear this - thinking of you and keeping everything crossed.

I know it gets said on here all the time, but at least you are tackling it already - it could be so much worse if it happened and you hadn't already started the debt busting.

Candy, I started running last summer - the first few times are proper hard, you just have to keep going and know that it will get easier and then you will really start to enjoy it. If you're running with someone else, try to make sure they aren't going too fast for you as you do have to start really, really slow.

I went to a coach for a 1-1 and he advised running at a pace you could maintain for 5 mins (however slow) and then walking for a full minute, and keeping this up, just swapping over, as long as you can. Gradually you need the walk less and less, and you run further in your 5 mins :cool: I find now if I don't go when I've planned to, it's worse the next time I actually get out, so I really try to keep going regularly.

I'm hooked now, my legs are really changing shape and although I've put on a little bit of weight, I've gone down a jeans size already. It's a nice side effect for me (wasn't really big to start with). I have asthma too so it can be done! keep it up!

back to college today.... and no spends in the cafe :j I took a banana for mid morning and a cupcake (HM yesterday!) for the bus home which is my real wobble time as there is a little Sainsbury's right by the bus stop.

Spent £7.55 on return postage of some pre-christmas cycling kit (wrong size) and £1.25 on some oats for porridge. I've gone right off muesli, and toast/marmalade first thing isn't very appealing to me. I'll give the porridge a whirl, love it with cinnamon, but might be a bit time consuming as I don't have a microwave.

should be an NSD tomorrow but might go for a swim in the evening... will have a think on as I'd like to go for a run too and I don't think I can manage both :eek:

CandyCupcake

Sholly wrote: »

Poodlegal - are you Poodle Gal or Pood Legal!? Personally, I much prefer the second option!! :rotfl:

Sholly x

Sholly I was thinking the exact same thing when I first read it haha! Deffinately thinking its Poodle Gal though

Candy
x

CandyCupcake

lionheartedgirl wrote: »

Candy, I started running last summer - the first few times are proper hard, you just have to keep going and know that it will get easier and then you will really start to enjoy it. If you're running with someone else, try to make sure they aren't going too fast for you as you do have to start really, really slow.

I went to a coach for a 1-1 and he advised running at a pace you could maintain for 5 mins (however slow) and then walking for a full minute, and keeping this up, just swapping over, as long as you can. Gradually you need the walk less and less, and you run further in your 5 mins :cool: I find now if I don't go when I've planned to, it's worse the next time I actually get out, so I really try to keep going regularly.

Lionheartedgirl I run with my boyfriend (he's a bit of a fitness freak) and he understands how lazy I am. I think the main thing as you said is to just keep going. I felt really chesty after running, but everyone said that's normal because I'm bringing all the bad stuff off my chest so I suppose I will see the benefit in the long run! I want to tone up my legs & bum mainly, so with you saying your legs changed shape it's obviously going to do what I want if I keep up with it

Candy
x

Marylea

beckyboo1980 wrote: »

Evening all!
First day back at work after the xmas hols and what a day its been. Have been greeted home by the news that my husband is possibly being made redundant . There are three of them competing for one job and its just a complete nightmare. His work have all the procedures to go through so won't find out for 2 weeks and what a long two weeks they are going to be. We have a huge mortgage, four children including twins who have just turned one and a huge debt to service - what an absolute nightmare.XXX

Beckyboo.......I am so sorry to hear this.......NOT GOOD! Fingers crossed hubby gets the job.

It is a reminder that for those of us with jobs, as much as we may not like them sometimes we need to be truly grateful.......and remember they can be taken away from us as quick as you like.

All the more reason to get our finances in order, so that should we lose our job.....the damage can be minimised.

:grouphug:BIG HUGS FOR Beckyboo and Mr Beckyboo and all the little Boos :grouphug:

nanell

Candy, if you really want to work it, I tried one of those "8 weeks to your 5K" programmes. Its really good, just builds you up gradually alternating running with walking until you reach the 5K with a complete run!

Had spendy days both Saturday and Sunday, both pre-planned and under budget though! will have another tomorrow, as my boyfriend is one of these people who has a whole week of birthday celebrations!! I'm not too fussed though because I accounted for all of this and know I won't be doing much else all month.

In money making news, got 500 nectar points from adpoints yesterday, hoping to continue building this as much as possible, then knock the points of petrol in Feb, hopefully £7.50-£10 by then, then obviously will pay the money saved to credit card. Cashed out £6 odd from Quidco, straight to CC aswell. Every little I suppose.

Off to check if theres any pennies in paypal to transfer and update my signature!

NinjaSavingKat

Good Evening Chickadees....

BeckyBoo I concur with all of the above. What horrific unnecessary news. However we are all being a little pessimistic aren't we. Who's to say things will be this bad? I can understand the worry - 4 kids and a mortgage is not a fun situation to be in.. but you will cope. You seem to be on the ball and will work it all out in due course. Right now I want positive thinking from everyone for BB....:p

Onto the food thing.... I have cut out the following...

• Tea ( Because I can't drink it without sugar )
• Crisps and Crackers ( Hidden sugar)
• Cake, biscuits, chocolate, sweets etc
• White bread, rice and pasta ( Refined bleached and gooey carp.)
• Cereals (more hidden sugar)
• Pre-prepared meals ( hardly ever had these anyway )

Main staples are the following..

1. Nuts on porridge, lentils at every oppurtunity and brown rice only.
2. No cereals for breakfast - only porridge either as it is or without milk and replaced with a grated apple and banana ( seeds sprinkled on top )
3. Plain natural bio yoghurt (sugar is VERY high in other yoghurts )
4. Seeded bread only and down to less that 5 slices a week.
5. NO eating now after 7pm as I don't feel hungry.
6. Breakfast is massive...on Saturday I had Swiss style museli (apple, banana, soaked oats mixed - thats it ), with a slice of seeded toast spread with no-added sugar peanut butter ( no margarine ) and the other half of the banana squished on top, herbal tea with a little honey ( the only allowed sugar ). 5 almonds, 5 walnuts, 3 dried apricots and 5 cashew nuts. Daily fix complete for nuts.
7. Wheatgerm ( very high in vitamin E and takes a little getting used to) donated by mother sprinkled on porridge.

I am also a vegetarian. With no added fish. I eat eggs and yoghurt and cheese ( although limited this this month ) and have virtually cut out all milk... we are the only mammals drinking another mammals milk...

• I have so much more energy,
• No mid-morning lag at work where I usually want to curl in a ball and sleep,
• Concentrating better,
• Sleep really well, I woke this morning at 0500 raring to go...
• Skin is clearing up ...
• Although I have always had a flat stomach my body feels a little better. Weight loss will follow I think in a few weeks...

Hope this helps.. although it could be classed as hardcore and a little more expensive. .. I eat a lot of apples, bananas and pears as snacks. Peanut butter spread on apple is lush...

I spent the last 4 hours cooking a vegetarian chilli con carne.. 7 portions now in the freezer along with 14 sugar free banana and blueberry muffins. They are gorgeous - not sweet but satisfying... there is home made guacamole in the fridge too which saved the avocados from my face..:T:T:T

That's been the extent of my day... I have been up since 0500 so forgive me if I end this here and bid you all a good sleep. I need to dry my hair and hug the neglected puddy-cat...:p

You are all doing so well with your NSD's - it wasn't one for me though. And with running as well ... I used to run then damaged my knee. It's not something I am allowed to do any more but I used to love it... until half way through until I realised I still had to get home...:rotfl:

Right where is the push-bike....


Onwards and Upwards!!

Oompa_Loompa_2

Sorry to hear that Becky... at least you have started and you can minimise the damage by preparing. Also, hope it works out okay. Turned out not to be a NSD for me! So that's one off my total :-/

Marylea

Sooooo, this is NSD 5 for me, and I've totted up my earning 'extras' (overtime, e-bay, etc.) and so far £98 so I am hoping to make the £150 January target.

I just need to concentrate on my Food+Fuel budget which I made an early dent in.

Lovely to see everyone's posts and progress and knowin i can check in here....it helps to keep me on track!

Kerfuffle

Hi everybody,

Not much to update as I haven't had any spends :T, but I don't want to fall behind with my posts, so just for the record:-

Food 0 /198.00
Petrol 28.76/212.00
Hair / 26.00
Postage to UK /14.00
3 Birthday cards /10.00
Preplanned Monthly Treat /20.00

NSD 6/25
SD 1/6

Well done to all those that have had productive days, you've all put me to shame.

BeckyBoo, sorry to hear your news, best thing to do is continue with your current plans and avoid going into panic mode In the mean time think of even more things that you can do to cut back expenses. If worst comes to the worst you've got plans in place, and if it doesn't then it's your choice to push yourself further, or not.